Game 4 of the Cleveland Cavs and Boston Celtics got a little out of control on Sunday and after Cavs guard hit Celtics forward Jae Crowder with a closed fist, we all know the NBA would have to handle the situation. They have and JR Smith will have to sat out a few games in the next round.
According to Cleveland.com, JR Smith has been suspended for the first two games of the second round of the Eastern conference playoffs.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard JR Smith has been suspended two games for his backhanded punch to Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder in the team’s Game 4 win on Sunday, the NBA announced on Monday.
Smith knew it was coming.
“I know I’m nervous as hell to see what could come out of this,” Smith said after the game. “It’s a situation I put my teammates in and it’s a selfish act…Hopefully it works out for the best.”
Crowder sustained an ACL sprain in his left knee as he fell to the floor following the blow.
Boston’s forward Kelly Olynyk was suspended a game for his role in dislocating the shoulder of Kevin Love, an injury that will keep the power forward out the entire second round.
Kendrick Perkins was hit with a $15,000 fine for his blindsided screen of Crowder in retaliation of the Love play.
The Cavaliers’ next opponent will invariably be the Chicago Bulls, another physical team. Head Coach David Blatt will have to get creative with his rotations and lineup usage. Tristan Thompson and Iman Shumpert’s roles will be expanded and other players will have to step up to the plate.
It will take a team effort to make to the Eastern Conference Finals. LeBron James said from Day 1 that it wouldn’t be easy, but nobody thought it would be this bad.
“We only can control what we can control,” James said on Sunday. “If Love is out and if J.R., whatever happens with him, then it’s the next man up. It’s the next man up. We have guys that have been able to step up.”
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